News

The Del Ray menorah and Christmas tree lightings are this Sunday

By James Cullum

The Del Ray Menorah and Christmas tree lightings are happening this Sunday (Dec. 5) night on Mount Vernon Avenue, but Santa Claus won’t be making an appearance due to COVID-19.

It’s the 11th straight year that Mike Anderson and Bill Blackburn of the Homegrown Restaurant Group selected and cut down the tree at the Naughty Pines Nursery in Maryland, and donated it to the Del Ray Business Association. Additionally, BMC Smoot donated a flatbed truck and a driver to haul the 30-foot-tall tree to Del Ray, and Mike Dameron of Windmill Hill donated his cherrypicker crane to put it in place on Tuesday (Nov. 30).

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City makes progress on LED streetlight replacement

By Vernon Miles
LED streetlight (photo via City of Alexandria)

Travellers along some of Alexandria’s arterial streets might see things in a different light now.

Transportation and Environmental Services has been working with Dominion Energy to swap out the city’s street lamps with LED lights. So far, the city said around 40% of the city’s streetlights have been swapped.

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Alexandria Commons holiday festival scheduled next week

By Vernon Miles
Alexandria Commons shopping center (photo via Alexandria Commons/Facebook)

The Alexandria Commons shopping center on Duke Street is planning to throw a pop-up holiday celebration next week.

The event is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 10, from 4-6 p.m. at Alexandria Commons (3101 Duke Street), a shopping center anchored by Giant.

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Morning Notes

By Vernon Miles

Alexandria Gazette chronicles the creation of city manager position — “It was the summer of 1918, and the old ways of organizing the city’s government were no longer working. Something needed to happen, and so the Alexandria Gazette began a series of articles that eventually led to the creation of a city-manager form of government.” [Alexandria Gazette]

Pandemic-induced shortages create supply chain woes — “The second holiday season impacted by the pandemic is upon us, and while persistent global supply chain issues are starting to show signs of easing, local business owners warn customers that not every shelf will be stocked in time for holiday shopping sprees.” [Alexandria Times]

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Alexandria man identified after Sunday’s crash at Duke Street overpass on Interstate 395

By Alan Henney
Fatal crash on I-395 at Duke Street (via VDOT)

(Updated at 5 p.m. on Nov. 30) Virginia State Police have released the identity of the driver in Sunday’s fatal single-vehicle crash at the Duke Street overpass of Interstate 395 on Sunday.

Alexandria resident Eric G. Jones, 46, was killed after his SUV crashed and became wedged under the overpass.

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Making knit happen: Danielle Romanetti of fibre space and her secret to success in Alexandria

By James Cullum
Danielle Romanetti of fibre space at 1319 Prince Street in Old Town (via Sarah Marcella Photography)

Like expert fingers knitting a long scarf, Danielle Romanetti is busy.

Romanetti’s yarn shop fibre space (1319 Prince Street) is prepped and ready for Plaid Friday, an alternative to Black Friday for shoppers who want to find local deals in Old Town. Back when she first opened in 2009, Romanetti was one of the first business owners in the city to recognize the holiday weekend as an opportunity to capitalize.

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Traveling? Get tested before and after Thanksgiving, says Alexandria Health Department

By James Cullum

The Alexandria Health Department is advising residents to take COVID-19 tests before and after traveling this Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

“Everyone has a role in keeping COVID-19 out of holiday gatherings,” AHD said in a release, and advised unvaccinated residents to skip traveling altogether. “If travel is unavoidable, get a COVID-19 test 1-3 days before and 3-5 days after travel. Those who are fully vaccinated should still monitor themselves for symptoms after travel or large gatherings and get tested if needed.”

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Woods Place barricade situation resolved peacefully

By Vernon Miles

(Updated 1:30 p.m.) Police say a barricade situation that’s been ongoing for roughly 24 hours has been peacefully resolved.

It started with a road-rage incident around noon yesterday (Tuesday) that spiraled into a barricade situation where the man fired at police outside of his home on the 1000 block of Woods Place. Nearby roads were shut down and athletic activities at the nearby Alexandria City High School campus were canceled.

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Two-vehicle crash shuts down portion of N. Van Dorn Street

By James Cullum

(Updated at 11:55 a.m.) A two-vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 24) shut down traffic on N. Van Dorn Street from Taney Avenue to Holmes Run Parkway earlier today.

The incident was reported to the public via Twitter at 10:55 a.m., the Alexandria Fire Department and police are at the scene. Police and medics were dispatched to the scene, according to scanner traffic.

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Maryland man held without bond after allegedly beating up ex-girlfriend in West End

By James Cullum
Alexandria Police cruiser (staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated 5/9/22) A 38-year-old Maryland man is being held without bond after a violent argument against his ex-girlfriend in her West End apartment on November 2.

The incident occurred at around 12:30 p.m. in the 5400 block of Bradford Court. The victim told police that she was driving home and talking with the suspect on Facetime, but that he was already waiting for her in the parking lot to meet in person. They met and went inside the apartment, where the victim allegedly told the suspect that she was starting a romantic relationship with someone else, according to a search warrant affidavit.

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